From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot reported that while executing a left turn onto runway 34R, a bang was heard. The cockpit crew elected to taxi off the runway and have maintenance inspect the aircraft. It was found that the left nose wheel had broken off. The passengers and crewmembers exited the aircraft via the stairs without injuries and were bused to the terminal. Preliminary on scene investigation disclosed that the left nose wheel axle had broken off completely just outboard of the inner bearing. Onboard aircraft maintenance records did not disclose any prior nose wheel discrepancies. (-23 amendment) preliminary findings by delta engineering failure analysis revealed that a pre-existing crack at the six o'clock position of the axle was the cause of the failure. Chrome plating was observed in the crack, indicating that the crack was present when the chrome plating was applied during overhaul on 10/29/03.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE EXECUTING A LEFT TURN ONTO RUNWAY 34R, A BANG WAS HEARD. THE COCKPIT CREW ELECTED TO TAXI OFF THE RUNWAY AND HAVE MAINTENANCE INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LEFT NOSE WHEEL HAD BROKEN OFF. THE PASSENGERS AND CREWMEMBERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT VIA THE STAIRS WITHOUT INJURIES AND WERE BUSED TO THE TERMINAL. PRELIMINARY ON SCENE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE LEFT NOSE WHEEL AXLE HAD BROKEN OFF COMPLETELY JUST OUTBOARD OF THE INNER BEARING. ONBOARD AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PRIOR NOSE WHEEL DISCREPANCIES. (-23 AMENDMENT) PRELIMINARY FINDINGS BY DELTA ENGINEERING FAILURE ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT A PRE-EXISTING CRACK AT THE SIX O'CLOCK POSITION OF THE AXLE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. CHROME PLATING WAS OBSERVED IN THE CRACK, INDICATING THAT THE CRACK WAS PRESENT WHEN THE CHROME PLATING WAS APPLIED DURING OVERHAUL ON 10/29/03.
Other reports on N311WA · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.